


Leave You

by loveavillain (copper28)



Category: Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015)
Genre: Loyalty, M/M, Rescue, Torture
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-02-06
Updated: 2016-02-15
Packaged: 2018-05-18 16:06:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 4
Words: 10,621
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5934529
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/copper28/pseuds/loveavillain
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Phasma and Hux have been taken captive. Ren is denied permission to rescue them. He goes anyway.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Another one I wrote in my phone notes so there's bound to be errors (I'm sensing a pattern here) but you can have it anyway. This will probably just be a one shot. Probably. Phasma and Hux are buddies, there's nothing too graphic but I put the warnings up anyway. Basically I just love these three and Kylux is just a beautiful trash ship and I'm going down with it.   
> Enjoy!

If not for the slow rise and fall of his chest, Captain Phasma would have written off the General as dead.

He looked it. His hair was dull and matted with blood, the bright ginger now a dirty mop. His skin was deathly pale, decorated by the stark contrast of dark blood drying on his cheeks. One eye was swollen shut, and he had a nasty gash across one eyebrow. He was curled against the back wall in the shadows, and Phasma had no idea what other injuries lay beneath his ragged clothes.

They were both prisoners of war here, but their treatment differed considerably.

Phasma herself was worth little in comparison to the General. While her status was high, they would get more for her in one piece selling her off to the highest bidder. Be it the Rebels or the First Order, they could get a pretty penny for her. The General on the other hand, while worth a great deal of credits, they could make more if they could get information out of him. They'd sell that information to the rebels, and when he could take no more interrogations, they'd sell him back to the First Order for execution. The First Order had a zero tolerance for traitors, and once Hux talked he was a dead man.

Phasma had no idea if Hux had talked yet. He was a stubborn and strong willed man, but they'd been here for over three weeks, and Hux had taken quite considerable beatings. He'd been coughing up blood for the past two days, and Phasma got the feeling that their captors knew they were running out of time. That only meant bad things for the General. Perhaps it would be better if he talked.

"Sir?" She whispered into the darkness, missing the aided night vision her helmet allowed her.

The bloodied mess at the back of the room shifted, and a weak hoarse voice responded, tight with pain. "What?"

She wondered if she should move closer, but she didn't want to bring any guards into the room. "How much more do you think you can take?"

Hux's breath wheezed in the air. He took a long time to respond, Phasma thought for a moment he was going to ignore her. "I talked." He said quietly, and she felt something coil in her stomach. Not because she knew he had betrayed the First Order, but because she had never heard the General sound so defeated.

She wanted to give him a word of comfort, tell him the First Order wouldn't execute him when they sold him off, but she also refused to lie to him. Their time here had strengthened the small friendship they had on the Finaliser, and now Phasma had a fierce loyalty to the General that was based on more than just rank. "Ren will come. Any day." She said.

Hux almost laughed, before he hissed in pain and blood splattered across the floor as he coughed. He didn't have the energy to wipe it from his mouth, so the dark red dripped from his lips down his front, joining countless other stains. "He won't if he knows what's good for him."

The effort of his sentence made his shoulders sag, and he curled in on himself more, trying not to break.

Phasma felt the urge to reach out and touch him, but she chased it away before she could act on it. If she moved guards would come, and that would be bad for Hux. "He always does the opposite." She said quietly, and Hux coughed a small laugh.

 

\---

 

He'd demanded Snoke allow him to start a rescue party, or at least send one.

By the state of the destroyed control room, the answer had been no.

Ren seethed as he stormed through the Finaliser, his fury hotter than anything he'd ever felt before. Hux was replaceable apparently, and Ren was to carry on as usual while Snoke found the replacement.

Ren wasn't having that.

He'd gathered a troop of five, and they were taking his ship and they were going to find Hux.

Fuck the First Order. Fuck Snoke. Kylo Ren was on the hunt for his General, and when he found him, nothing was going to get in his way.

\---

She knew something was happening when they weren't woken with a kick to the ribs at exactly 6AM. It had been the same every day since they had been here and both she and Hux had grown accustomed to waking half an hour early to prepare themselves for the violence.

It must be nearing 9AM by the light that filtered in from the small square hacked out at the top of the cell, and still no awakening. The ugly brute that gave them food hadn't appeared either, and that was even more suspicious.

"General?" She hissed into the gloom, louder than she usually would.

He didn't respond.

She tried again. "General." This time it was at her usual volume, her voice scratching at the lack of use.

There was still no response.

Phasma risked moving, skidding across the room as far as her chains would allow her.

She searched the mass of blood at the edge of the room for signs of life, and breathed a sigh of relief at the shallow rise and fall she'd grown too used to keeping an eye out for. He was out cold, the exhaustion of whatever they had done to him the day before making his body shut down. He needed all the energy he could get, so she doesn't wake him. Not yet.

An hour passes, maybe two, she's not sure, and there's movement at the door.

The General stirs, expecting pain. He doesn't make a sound as he wakes, but he curls around himself and then makes a small noise of discomfort that sent a fresh pang of hatred for their captives through Phasma. She'll put up a fight, she decides. Perhaps it will distract them from Hux and they'll leave him be. It was worth a try.

The Captain rises to her feet, her legs parted and braced, ready to fight whoever came through that door.

She didn't expect the door to be ripped off its hinges, but that doesn't mean she relaxes her stance. She had no idea who's come for them, but she's not taking the risk of being placid. Not until she knows who's there.

When she hears the crackle of a familiar energy, she almost cried out in relief.

"Ren." She breathes out, and through the settling dust Kylo Ren appears in the doorway, lightsaber ablaze and blood smeared across his cheek.

\----

Ren had massacred the lot.

He'd sensed the Captain before he'd sensed Hux, and that worried him more than he'd like to admit. He wasn't in tune with the Captain, only familiar, and to have her energy be stronger than Hux, well, that only meant bad things.

When he'd arrived on the planet without his mask, they had mistaken him for the Imperial officer they had contacted that morning about the price for Hux's head. It had been their last mistake.

Once Kylo had realised what had been going on, he'd sworn he would leave those responsible for the torture of the General for the General to kill. But as he had questioned and killed his way to find out who had committed the act, his anger had risen to the point of no return.

When DN-893 had discovered the cell, bloodshed was pushed from his mind, and his anger cooled enough for him to march down to the prison block without slashing at the walls.

"Ren." It wasn't the voice he wanted to hear, but he was grateful to hear it none the less.

"Phasma. Where is-" He stopped mid sentence, his saber extinguishing.

There lying on the dirty ground, covered in blood and god knows what else, was General Hux. His eyes were tightly closed, and he was as tense as his body would allow him, waiting for an attack.

Ren forgot he was with people. He forgot he had to lead, he forgot he had to order, and he dropped to his knees beside Hux.

"Hux." He says, and Phasma behind him is surprised at the gentleness of his voice. "Hux, it's me, I'm here, and I’m not going to hurt you."

The General barely moves. "No." He breathes out, hoarse and tired. Kylo frowns but Hux continues. "You wouldn't come. He'd kill you. I must be dead."

Ren wants to shake him, but instead he places a hand gingerly on Hux's shoulder. He feels something move under his fingers, and Hux's eyes snap open with a howl of pain.

"Shit!" Ren snatches his hand away, as Hux attempts to regain control of his anguish. He looks at Ren through blurry eyes, and shifts to push himself up into a sitting position with his good arm, the shattered shoulder Ren had just touched causing him to groan with pain.

"You came." Hux said quietly, his chest heaving with the amount of effort this was. "Phasma said... I didn't believe."

Ren reached for him again. This time touching the matted beard that had grown on the General's face. "We can discuss this once I have you safe on board."

Phasma spoke up behind him, reminding him that he did actually have company and people who were waiting for his plan of action. “He can’t walk properly sir. They cuffed his leg too tightly, and it’s cut into the skin and then healed over the metal.”

Kylo glances to the chain tied to the General’s leg and notices the shiny clasp among the rusted metal. Rather than remove the imbedded shackle, they’d just made a clip for the chain. Ren feels a heat bubble within him, and its only Hux’s hand on his arm that stops the impending rampage. “Help me up.” The General rasps. “Get me out.”

Ren nods once, his lightsaber coming to life and obliterating the chain that held Hux. He turns to make quick work of Phasma’s bindings, then rushes back to Hux.   
The inured General struggles his way to his feet, putting most of his weight onto Ren and using only one arm to do it. His breath becomes hard and laboured, and he needs to rest after barely hopping three paces. His shoulder is in agony, and his ribs feel like they’re about to crumble under the pressure. He can barely move one leg. 

“It’ll take us a week to get to the ship this way.” Ren growls, supporting Hux’s weight as he caught his breath. 

Hux was about to give his sharp retort when he’s suddenly whisked off his feet. The quick movement jostles his shoulder, and he hisses in pain, his good arm shooting out to grip hard onto Kylo. He squeezes the fistful of material as Ren moves, trying to not yelp after each step. 

Phasma is hot on Ren’s heels, shooting concerned glances at the man in his arms. Ren is clearly being careful with Hux, but she remains worried. She knows he needs medical attention and he needs it fast if he doesn’t want to die. The coughing up blood, infected wound on his leg, cracked or broken ribs, shattered shoulder, and just general mistreatment were not a good mix. But Ren couldn’t take them back to the Finaliser. Not if they found out Hux had talked. 

They strode through the camp, and Phasma barely blinked an eye at the bloodshed. She cared little for their gruesome deaths, all her focus was trained on the General and the ship they were heading towards. 

Once on board, she realised Ren had no intention of taking his attention off Hux for a moment. The stormtrooper’s he had brought with him all stood uneasily by the door as their leader headed for the makeshift medical cot that was built into the ship for emergencies such as this. She shook her head, and then turned to the five troopers. “Get us into orbit and away from this place. Make no communication with any other vessel and keep us under the radar.”

They nodded and began to scuttle off to pilot the ship, when one turned back. “Destination, Captain?”

She regarded them for a moment. “I don’t know yet. Get us out of the way first; I shall speak to Kylo Ren for further orders.”

The stormtrooper nodded their head. “Yes Captain.” 

\----

“Don’t touch that.” 

“It needs to be cleaned.”

“I don’t care, don’t touch it.” Hux growled with as much aggression as he could muster. It was a pitiful show really, but Ren held up his hands in defeat.

The General had allowed him to gently inspect his shoulder, refused to pull his filthy shirt off so he could examine his ribs, and would not let Ren anywhere near his infected leg. Kylo knew very little about the art of healing, and his skills with the force would not heal broken bones, but he was very aware that Hux needed medical attention and he needed it sooner rather than later. Even from the smell coming off him, Kylo could tell Hux was in serious bad shape.

“What?” Hux grumbled, shifting in the bed. 

Ren frowned. “What? I wasn’t doing anything.”

Hux snorted, breaking his gaze from Kylo. “You were staring at me.”

“Deciding what we should do.” Ren lied smoothly. Well, it was a half lie. He was thinking about that, but he was also thinking about how much he hated seeing Hux weak. The General should be storming about the corridors, barking orders at troops and scheming up flawless plans while shouting at Kylo to stop being an idiot. He should not by lying broken on a ship with no clear future. 

Hux simply hummed, twisting away as far as his body would let him to face the wall. 

Ren felt the urge to reach out and touch him, but quickly decided that would be a bad idea. He didn’t fully know what psychological and emotional damage had been done to Hux, and he wasn’t about to let the General associate any fear with himself. 

Phasma appeared at that moment in the doorway. “How is he?” she asked him gravely.

“I’m not dead yet.” Hux hissed.

Ren pushed down the laugh that warmed his chest. “He needs to be given medical attention. Now.”

“We can’t go to the Finaliser.” Phasma said. 

Hux went deadly still in his bed, barely even breathing. 

Ren eyed her for a moment, and regarded Hux’s tension. “Why?” He asked, though he knew what would be his answer. 

Phasma shifted, glancing behind her to ensure none of the stormtroopers were within earshot. “They’ll have him executed.” 

There was only one reason for a high ranking of the First Order to be executed. Treason. Which meant Hux had talked. 

Ren let out a slow breath, closing his eyes. If he didn’t return to the Finaliser then Snoke would hunt him down and kill them all. He was in enough shit as it was for even rescuing Hux, bringing back a traitor and then defending him would not end well. But there were very little options. “We need to take him somewhere with advanced medical equipment who won’t shoot us as soon as we land.” He wanders back to Hux’s side, leaning against the rail. He touches the edge of the blanket he’d draped across the smaller man, stroking it though his fingers. “Snoke will know we’re now on the run.”

“How?” Hux whispered, rolling back a little to stare at Ren with his good eye. 

Ren sighs, looking to Phasma. “He did not wish for me to rescue either of you. I came anyway. He will have felt my resistance, and my resolve to protect you even with the knowledge that you talked.” His gaze returned to Hux. “We can’t ever go back.”

Hux closed his eyes, and turned back towards the wall. “You should have left me there.”

Cold rage surges up inside Kylo, and it takes considerable control not to either shout at Hux or shake some sense into him. He waits a few moments, composing himself, his voice thick with the effort. “I could not leave you there.” His teeth clench, and his eyes close. “I could hear you, you know.”

This sparks Hux’s attention, but he doesn’t move. Phasma wisely disappears to check on the troopers. 

“Every time you screamed out my name, every time you longed for me to appear, every time they-“He breaks off, his chest tightening. They’d torn the General down most thoroughly. Ren knew the reason why Hux didn’t want to be touched, and he knew that when they would eventually clean him of filth, Ren would find bruises and scrapes across Hux’s knees, and across his inner thighs, and he’d want to kill them all over again.

Hux has curled in on himself, but his thoughts are loud now Ren has tapped back into them. He’s frightened, insecure, humiliated. Ren gives in to his need to touch Hux. He does it slowly, murmuring a warning before his fingers stroke across dull ginger hair, smoothing the too long fringe against Hux’s forehead. Hux wants to sob at the gentleness, and he curls tighter into a ball, ignoring the pain of his ribs. Ren sighs, allowing himself to run his fingers through Hux’s hair once more before straightening up. He finds another blanket by the cot, and without thinking about it, lays it over the General and carefully tucks it around him. He turns to leave. 

“Thank you.” Hux barely whispers.

Ren pauses at the door, glancing back. “I couldn’t leave you.” He repeats, and then he’s gone.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ren has Hux, but now he has no-where to turn. They need to get to a planet with advanced medical facilities, and they need to find a planet that has no affiliation with the First Order.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I lied, this isn't a one-shot. I have a vague idea of where this will be going, but you'll have to excuse me if the next chapter doesn't go up as quickly as this one has.   
> Also, as it was intended to be a one-shot, I've not really considered the timeline. So for now I'm going with that Starkiller is a thing that's blown some shit up, but Rey wasn't taken, and Han never died. It'll be an AU from about there, but I'm bound to make some continuity errors so I'm sorry in advance.   
> Anyway, I hope you like!

Phasma is pacing up and down the corridor before the cockpit, her brows furrowed in thought and her hands clasped behind her back when Ren reappears. She’s on him in an instant.

“What are we going to do? Snoke thinks we’ve abandoned him.” She growls. 

Ren shrugs. “We have. Unless you’d like to return to him?”

Phasma glares at him, her teeth set in defiance. “I’m going nowhere the General can’t follow.”

This seems to please Ren, and he relaxes his tense shoulders. “Good. We can’t go back to the First Order. We can’t stop anywhere the First Order has control. That leaves only one other real option.”

Phasma doesn’t like where this is going. “You’re not serious.”

“I am,” Ren nods once, oblivious to the fact he still has blood streaked across his cheek. “If we go to the Resistance they might help him. Hux needs to be treated and he needs to be treated quickly. I don’t want to see infection set it.”

She shakes her head. “What is guaranteeing us safety at the Resistance? How do you know they won’t just try him and execute him there instead? All of us, for that matter. How can you know they won’t shoot us down as soon as they identify this ship?”

Ren sighs, running a hand through his hair. “I don’t. But it’s the only chance we’ve got of Hux not dying on this shuttle. I don’t intend for that to happen.”

Phasma wants to take off and run for the stars, but instead she follows Ren and stands behind him when he gives the troopers the co-ordinates. How he knows the co-ordinates she’s not entirely sure but she’s not about to accuse him of withholding information from the Order. They aren’t exactly in the Order anymore, so she supposes she shouldn’t really care. “We’re really doing this? Actually going to the Resistance?” 

The stormtroppers all look at her at once, and she doesn’t need to see their faces to see their surprise. 

Ren glares at her, and his fist clenches. He hadn’t intended to make the information available to the troopers. If they decided they wanted to go to the Finaliser he’d have a problem on his hands. He couldn’t turn up to the Resistance base with five bodies and a flimsy explanation. “I’m not going to let him die, Captain.” 

Her title was a warning, but she glares back. “You think I want him to die? I just think we need to consider what is going to happen when we land on that planet.”

The troops watch uneasily, blasters hanging loosely in hand. She’s well aware she’s pushing a very volatile man in a very small space about a very sensitive subject, but she’s not afraid of Ren. 

“No. They’ll probably throw us in holding cells, but I’m hoping their compassion will get Hux the attention he needs.” Ren says, turning to stare out into the bright light. “I can use my mother’s desire to have me back at her side to my advantage.”

There was a cough to the side, and both Ren and Phasma turn to face a stormtrooper who had been standing just behind the pilot. DN-893 straightened her back, and removed her helmet. She had short black hair, and a square face that had extensive scarring to the left side. Phasma knew why, DN-893 had been caught in an imploding fighter, but refused to leave without her co-pilot, resulting in her injuries. Her jaw clenched, and she addressed both her superiors with confidence. “If I may, Captain, Lord. If we go to the Resistance base then we can also use FN-2187.”

Ren regarded her for a moment, her suggestion wiping out his concerns of a possible mutiny. Hux’s program was well executed, and Phasma’s troopers seemed to still be displaying an unwavering sense of loyalty, despite that loyalty not being towards the First Order. “How?”

“We can play on their acceptance of him. If we have also renounced the First Order for the General, then surely they must allow us the same hospitality they have given him. He has commuted the same crimes as us.” She looks at Ren for a moment, and then glances to where she knows the General lies. “Well. Almost.”

Phasma nods once. “She has a good point Ren. The circumstance is different, but in an argument of rights and wrongs, the sinners and the saints, if they persecute us then they must also persecute him in their laws of justice.”

A glint has appeared in Ren’s eyes, and a cruel twitch of his lips is all Phasma needs to know that he thinks this plan has value. 

“Not only that,” DN-893 continued, “Should they imprison you or the General, with that argument we should remain free. You can tap into thoughts, right?”

Ren nods and he knows where she’s going with this. “I can devise a plan of escape from the inside and we can get out with Hux treated.”

“It’s not fool proof,” Phasma warns, ever the realist, “But it’s got a good chance of working. We can go in relatively blind but still have an escape route if needs be.”

“If they are as compassionate and lenient as we’re led to believe.” DN-893 said. 

Ren waves a hand, heading off back out towards Hux, throwing his words over his shoulder as he leaves. “They are.” 

Phasma watches him go, wanting to follow. But her better instincts tell her to remain. As much as she also feels the need to check the General is still breathing, Ren has an attachment that is quite different to hers. They all knew it, even back on the Finaliser. Ren had no knowledge of being subtle when it came to the General. 

It’s silent for a while, only the sound of the engines purring before DN-893 frowns at the Captain, fiddling with the helmet in her hands. “Captain?”

Phasma merely looks at her.

“We really have left then? There’s no going back to the First Order?”

Phasma sighs and she can feel the eyes of the other four troopers glued to her. “Yes. If we go back they’ll kill us all. We’re all traitors in their eyes now. What happened to me and the General… I won’t go into it, but it wasn’t pretty. General Hux took the worst; they’d get the most money from him if he talked and then they sold him to the highest bidder.”

One of the other troopers, TM-6654, spoke up from the co-pilot seat. “He talked.”

Phasma glared at him. “Anyone would have, with what they did to him.” Her tone was instantly defensive, and TM-6654 shook his head. 

“Not what I meant Captain. I don’t think of the General any differently. But that’s why Lord Ren has also renounced the Order too? Because the Order will kill General Hux if we go back?”

“Precisely that.” She regards him for a moment, and then addresses all five troopers. “We shall remain a united force, and our values are still the same as that of the Order. We’ll simply follow Ren’s leadership instead of Snoke.”

The troopers nod in unison, and then DN-893 raises her fist into the air. “For the General.” 

There’s a thud as the other four troopers slam their boots to the floor and mimic DN-893. “For the General.” They repeat. 

Phasma smiles. 

-

Ren appears in the doorway without a sound, realising too late that he should have made his presence more known. 

Hux is still facing the wall, his breathing shallow and slow. Ren knows he’s not asleep, dozing rather than totally unconscious - but he’s not sure if Hux is aware of him being there. He considers a moment of walking away and then noisily making his way back again, but now he’s here and has his eyes on Hux; he has no desire to walk away. He scuffs his boot on the doorframe, deliberately putting too much weight on one leg and making the floor panel creak.

Hux goes rigid in the medical cot.

Fuck. Ren moves forwards, reaching out before he really thinks about it. “Hey, it’s me.” He comes up behind Hux and touches his hair, and Hux reacts.   
“Wait-“ He cuts off when he’s touched, and his breathing goes from slow and weak to wild and fast. 

Ren backs off, sensing Hux’s need for him to move the fuck away. “Sorry.” He blurts out, the word almost foreign on his tongue. Ren never apologises. 

Hux grunts, his good arm braced against the wall as he regains control of his breathing and tries to stop the vivid flashbacks of his time in that god forsaken outlaw camp. “Give me a minute.” He growls, eyes closed. 

Ren does as he is told, and waits a few paces away from the edge of the cot, his attention never wavering as Hux calms himself down and readjusts, carefully manoeuvring his body around so that he could face Ren. This way round hurts his shattered shoulder, but he can ignore the dull throbbing, and there was no sharp pains as long as he didn’t move. Once he’s settled, he nods once to Ren. 

Ren is back at his side in an instant, dropping to kneel at the edge of the bed so that they are eye to eye. “I didn’t think.”

“You never do.” Hux says, but there’s an affectionate edge to his voice. 

Ren lips twitch into a small smile, and he tries not to let the wave of hate take over him as he looks at Hux’s swollen eye and sliced eyebrow. 

Hux goes to arch said eyebrow, and winces at the decision. “I know its ugly you don’t need to stare.” 

“I’ll get you some ice to bring the swelling down.” Ren goes to move, and then there’s a gentle pressure on his shoulder. He looks down to find Hux’s hand there, and he looks at the General for an explanation. 

Hux looks just as surprised at himself, and he chews over his words before he says them, breaking eye contact to do it. “Don’t go yet.”

“I intended to come back.” Ren says, but he makes no move to get up, and he doesn’t remove Hux’s hand from his shoulder.

Hux hums and his fingers curl into the fabric, holding fast. “That’s an order.”

Ren huffs a laugh at that. “When have I ever listened to your orders?”

Hux smiles then and Ren allows the relief he felt at seeing something positive come from the General to overwhelm him. “Next time, if I can’t see you, wait until I can before you touch. For now. Please?”

Ren nods once. “Yeah. Sorry.” There’s a pause. “Can I now?”

Hux tiredly hums his approval, and Ren reaches to hold his face, mindful of not knocking his shoulder. He traces his thumb across Hux’s cheek, frowning when he makes contact with the wiry hair of Hux’s beard. “You need a shave.”

“That is the least of my worries.” Hux presses against Ren’s hand, and his eyes slide closed. “Where are we going?”

Ren tenses and he sighs, his thumb tracing back across Hux’s cheek absentmindedly. Hux seems to enjoy it, so he keeps up the rhythm as he speaks. “We’re going the only place I can think of to take you where they will not only treat you but also not kill you on sight.” 

Hux doesn’t open his eyes, and he doesn’t stop leaning into Ren’s hand. “The Resistance.” He whispers, as if if he says it too loudly the rest of the First Order would hear him.   
Ren grunts. “The Resistance. We have a flimsy back up plan if it goes south, but we’re going in blind.”

“Don’t go.” Hux says. He shifts from Ren’s embrace, moving to lay flat and let his shoulder stop aching under his weight. Only, now his ribs feel uncomfortable, like they’re constricting round his lungs. He moves again; angling back towards the wall. “Don’t go.” He says.

Ren understands the double meaning as soon as Hux repeats his words, and he follows Hux’s adjustments. He perches on the small space at the edge of the cot, and leans to run his fingers through Hux’s filthy hair, like he had when he’d first found him. The fresh memory sends his blood boiling, but he keeps it controlled, refocusing on the more recent memory of Hux’s smile. “We have to go.”

Hux shakes his head, and Ren can feel the tiredness ache in Hux’s bones. “We’ll just be prisoners waiting for trial and execution. Go back to the Finaliser. Boot me out into orbit or something. Run your lightsaber through my chest. End it. This is futile. I’m a dead man.”

Ren pauses in his affection, going still behind Hux. “I can’t do that.”

“Why? It’s the best outcome for everyone. I won’t hurt, you won’t be hunted, Phasma won’t go down with us, you could return to the Order. You wouldn’t have to suffer going back to your parents.” Hux says this in a detached tone of voice. He’s not wrong, Ren muses, it would be the best outcome, but it would also be what destroyed him. 

“I can’t.” He repeats. 

Hux sighs. “Why?”

“You know why.” Ren says, his hand coming back to life and stroking through ginger strands again. “It’s not happening. We’re going to the Resistance.” 

Hux doesn’t say anything for a long time, the two of them sitting in silence. When he speaks again, Ren almost gives in to the urge to kiss him. “I’m not important, Ren. I’m replaceable in every way. Take Phasma back and get on with the Order. Continue. No-one else cares, Kylo. You’re the only one who wants me alive.”

Ren shakes his head aggressively, ignoring the tightening of his throat at Hux’s use of his name. He’s so wrong. The Order means nothing without General Hux. “No,” is all that Ren can bring himself to say. 

Hux makes a small noise of pain as he moves slightly, and Ren shifts closer to him, but before Hux can speak, they both feel a thump against the ship floor. Drifting down the corridor, they hear the soft words of a united voice. 

“For the General.”


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Contact is made, and no-one is sure of their decisions.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is shorter, but it made sense to stop here so I have and you get this super fast. The next chapter is going to take me a lot longer to write because of work and y'know, life, but I hope you like this and I promise there is more to come.  
> Enjoy and thank you so much to everyone who has left kudos and/or commented. It means the world, you guys are the best.

Hux is unconscious when the planet breaks into view. His sleep is far from peaceful, but every time he makes a noise of discomfort Ren is there. He desperately wants to help, to fix him, to ease his pain, but he can’t do anything for the General on this shuttle, and his frustration is brewing. 

Captain Phasma braves entering the small medbay, moving round Ren to get a look at Hux herself. Tiredness slows her analysis, and her question comes later than Ren expects. “How is he?”

Ren doesn’t give her a second glance, his eyes never moving from the frown etched into Hux’s sleeping expression. “Not good. He hides how much he hurts.”

“He’s doing well to manage that.” Phasma says. “They… well, I’m sure you’ve figured out what they did to him.”

Ren’s jaw clenches and he looks towards Phasma. For the first time since rescuing the two, he takes a moment to process how she is. There’s faint bruising around her jaw, a black eye that’s faded to an ugly purple. Her hair is almost as filthy as Hux’s, but by the way she moves, she has suffered no lasting injuries. Perhaps a small decline of muscle mass, but she’s sure to pile that back on. “I have. I should have made them suffer for it.”

Phasma shakes her head. “It doesn’t matter. They’re dead. He’s safe.”

Ren thinks about where they’re going, who he’s going to be letting get within reaching distance of Hux. “Debateable.” Ren growls, straightening from where he had been hovering over Hux, “We’re ready to begin landing.” He doesn’t say it as a question; he knows that’s why she’s broken his time with Hux. 

Phasma nods slowly. “If we get any closer they’ll detect us. You need to be the one to make the request.”

Ren sighs and he reaches to touch Hux’s sleeping form. He nods once. “Begin.”

-

One moment, the Resistance base control room was peaceful and light. The next; chaos erupted. 

“Someone get the General!” A small blonde man screeched, hurrying through the squashed mass of officers. “There’s a First Order issued shuttle trying to request landing!”

As he moved through the base the noise level grew so high it was difficult for anyone to really understand what was going on. At the back of the room, three young Resistance members tried to make sense of what was happening. 

“Did he say First Order?” Finn’s eyes had gone wide, and he was looking round wildly, as if they were about to be attacked any second. 

Rey shook her head, trying to gain a vantage point by climbing onto the chair that Poe was actually still sitting in. “Can’t have, who would know where we are?”

Poe didn’t protest Rey’s intrusion on his seat, instead helping her up a little higher. “Could be a smuggler? Isn’t that what Han did once? Used an Imperial shuttle to get access to the Death Star?”

“There wouldn’t be this much panic over a smuggler.” Finn said uneasily. 

Just as Poe was about to respond, an orange and white droid rolled up to them, practically skidding to a stop and into a stream of panicked bleeping.

“Woah, woah BB-8 slow down.” Poe slid from his seat, nearly making Rey fall to the floor. He crouched beside the droid. “Who?”

The droid repeated itself, slowing the bleeping but still managing to express fear. 

Poe felt the colour drain from his face. 

Finn was on him in an instant, dropping to his knees beside the man and the droid. “What? Poe what did he say?”

Poe didn’t respond, and Rey’s voice sounded from behind them. “It’s Kylo Ren.”

“WHAT?” Finn had dragged Poe to his feet within a second, and grabbed Rey off the chair while he was at it. “We need to go.”

Just as Finn was about to bundle his friends up under his arms and run for the hills, a petite woman stormed into the control room, demanding hush with just her presence. Rey wrenched her arm back from Finn’s grip, sliding her way through the General’s wake to follow to where the action was taking place. She didn’t have to turn round to know that she was being followed. 

“What have they requested?” Leia Organa came to a halt at one of the control desks, her gaze fixated on the screen. 

Someone answered her, the response tense and aggressive. “They wanted landing and asked for access to a medcentre.”

Although she was very much aware of whom was on the shuttle that was orbiting the planet, she asked her next question anyway. “Who?”

“Kylo Ren.”

Leia wanted to allow herself to feel the overwhelming sense of happiness at the prospect of her son returning to her, but she was no fool. She knew that it could not be Ben coming home, but Kylo Ren coming looking for an ally. Even as the thought solidified in her mind, she couldn’t shake the thought of Ben finally being back at her side. 

As if the name had called him from wherever he had been lurking, Han Solo appeared. He made his way to the centre of the room, coming to a stop beside Leia, his expression unreadable. “He’s here?”

Leia nodded, her shoulder brushing his arm and she slips in her resolve before it’s even had a chance to settle. “He’s come home.”

“But why?” Rey asked, frowning. 

Poe nodded behind her. “Yeah, why would he come here? There are other life forms on that ship right?”

The small blonde man nodded. “Seven others.”

Rey’s frown deepened.

“That’s not enough for an attack party.” Finn said. “They wouldn’t be attacking with numbers that low.”

Han grunted. “Well that’s a start.”

“He could be on a mission from Snoke. To infiltrate the base.” Rey suggested. 

Poe shook his head. “I doubt it. They asked for access to a medcentre right? So one of them has to be injured.”

“They have medical facilities on the Finaliser, and on Starkiller. It makes no sense.” Finn shifted uneasily. This whole thing felt like bad news to him. 

“Maybe we should just ask them? Get the comms up.” Han half suggested half commanded. 

Leia watched without a word, and when she gave no counter to Han’s suggestion, his order was followed. 

[REQUESTING INFORMATION FOR LANDING]

It was silent as they waited for a response. One came quickly, a voice that Leia and Han had not heard for a long time. 

[ _WHAT DO YOU WISH TO KNOW_ ]

The communicator looked to Leia, and she hesitated. She was going to speak to her son, but also a man who had destroyed worlds, slaughtered children. From an unbiased view, she should be blasting that shuttle out of existence. Kylo Ren was a vile man, a man twisted and controlled by Snoke and the dark side of the Force. She should tell Ren to go back to where he had come from. She took control of the questioning. 

[BEN]

The comm was quiet for a long time. Rey thought Ren had decided against coming here and turned his ship back round. 

[ _YES_ ]

His voice sounded strained, like it had been an effort to answer. 

[WHY HAVE YOU COME BACK]

Leia stood with her back to Han and her eyes closed as she spoke to her son, the tension obvious in her shoulders and barely concealed anxiousness at the prospects of the coming answer.

[ _I SHALL EXPLAIN WHEN WE HAVE BEEN GIVEN ACCESS TO A MEDBAY_ ]

It was an answer that held no room for argument. Ren wasn’t going to give up anything until they had landed on the base. 

[FOR YOU]

Leia had to ask. She had to make sure it wasn’t her son that they would be placing on a medunit and carting back to the medcentre. 

[ _NO_ ]

Her shoulders relaxed slightly and she cut off the comm. link. It wasn’t wise to allow them access. Whoever was injured on that ship, Ben felt strongly enough about needing to treat them that he had not gone back to his own base. Leia could feel his defiance, his cold anger pulsing across the galaxy. It was dangerous to her cause to let him in. “Give them permission to land.”

Finn also thought that was a very very bad idea, but he followed as they moved out to the landing strip, his stomach churning. 

 

-

 

Ren looked like he wanted to slaughter the lot of them when the comm. went dead. It was with considerable effort that he managed to put the damn thing back without crushing it to dust in his hand. 

Phasma arched an eyebrow. “They’re going to let us land?”

Something started flashing by the pilot’s hand. The trooper turned to face her for a second, the only one still wearing his helmet. “Yes Captain.”

Ren still looked furious, and Phasma looked at him for an explanation. He clenched his jaw, and began to move away. “She called me Ben.”

Phasma frowned as Ren disappeared, pausing in her chase to address her troopers. “Get out of uniform before we land, but keep hold of blasters until they take them from us. Oh, and it would be a good idea for you to pick new less numerical names. They like that shit in the Resistance.”

DN-893 chuckled. “So I can’t just rearrange the numbers?” 

Phasma shook her head and laughed at that before she followed Ren. 

He’d already woken Hux when she got there, and the General was struggling to get up and instantly arguing with Ren. 

“I’m not being carried into a bloody Resistance base, Ren.”

Ren helped him get up, supporting the majority of his weight with a concerned frown. “You’re not strong enough to walk. It’d take us weeks to get down the ramp with how fast you move anyway.”

“I’m about to be their prisoner of war, they can damn well wait for me to get down there.” Hux snapped, his jaw tight with the effort it was taking to not cry out at every tiny movement.

“We’re no-one’s prisoners.” Ren spat back, his arm wrapping gently round the General’s waist. 

Hux huffed, grimacing each time he moved. “I don’t…think they’ll see it like that.”

The shuttle juddered as it broke into the atmosphere of the planet, and Hux hissed in pain. 

“Let me carry you.” Ren repeated. 

Hux closed his eyes at the repetition of this conversation; it was taking valuable energy to keep talking when he was trying to get going. Phasma stepped in. “All due respect, Ren, if General Hux wants to walk you’ve got no right to tell him otherwise.”

Ren’s jaw dropped to protest, but Hux got there before he could speak; his relief at her intervention evident on his face. “Thank you, Captain. I’m walking Ren. If it’s the last thing I can have I’m going to walk into that Resistance base. I will not be weak.”

Ren wanted to argue. He hated seeing Hux struggle, but he had lost his back-up of Phasma, and the both of them refusing to let him have his way meant they were never going to budge. Once Hux and Phasma teamed up there was no stopping whatever they had set their minds to, so Ren grumbled but reluctantly shuffled along with Hux towards the door. 

The shuttle shuddered again, and then went still as they slowly reached the door.

The five troopers beat them there; they were waiting at attention, armour removed and blasters in hand. 

Phasma nodded her approval. “New names?”

DN-893 shrugged. “Dany.”

TM-6654 looked panicked for a moment, before Dany spoke up. “Tim. You’re Tim.”

He nodded, and glanced at the Captain. “Yeah, uh, Tim.”

Phasma looked to the next one, and when they balked she rolled her eyes. “Right, you’re Elm.” She said to the closest trooper. “Alathar, and Ova.” 

“Why are we giving the troopers names?” Hux growled, sucking in a sharp breath when Ren brought him to a halt. 

Phasma shrugged. “Figured they’d be nicer to us if we played the part better. Renouncing the Order thoroughly by having more generic names rather than unique serial numbers.”

Hux simply hummed, focused on staying upright and not vomiting. 

“Ready?” Ren asked. The question was directed only for Hux, but Phasma took it upon herself to check on each trooper and have them nod their conformation. 

She slammed the panel to slide the door open, squaring her shoulders. “No turning back now.”


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ren faces his mother, Hux is unamused, and Leia realises just how dangerous this game could become.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't actually really like the end of this chapter but here we are, maybe its just me. As I think I've said before I'm making this up mostly as I go along so continuity might be an issue but I think I've kind of got the timeline down. I've basically made it so when Ren and Rey first face each other she escapes and gets back to the Resistance with Han and Finn. 
> 
> Thank you all so much for your feedback, and I hope you enjoy this chapter more than me ;)

The first thing Hux noticed as he slowly hopped his way down and off the shuttle was that the runway was decorated with unorganised Resistance soldiers. Phasma would have never stood for such a show of disorder. Some were armed, some were not, but there was a clear divide from who were the leaders of the Resistance, and they were too far from the main body. Had they intended to attack, this formation would have meant victory for the Order. 

Hux shakes the thought instantly. He wasn’t with the Order anymore, and he would never be going back. Something akin to grief flared up inside him, and Ren shot him a frown. He’d spent his whole life working for that cause, his whole career building Starkiller, and now someone else would be walking around like it had always been theirs. All because he’d been too weak to hold out another day. One more day and everything would have been fine, he would have been back in his own bed by now, no doubt with Ren curled up and growling at every movement by his side. 

As it was, Ren was helping him struggle painfully down to what was going to be his decent into doom. He’d be a prisoner of war, and they’d fix him up just to try and execute him for his crimes. A bright future indeed. 

General Organa was the only person to step forward as they made their way down and off the ramp of the shuttle, and it was only Phasma that reacted, picking her pace up so she served as a wall between Hux and Leia. Her face was set in a scowl, and she glared menacingly and the tiny woman in front of her. 

Leia paid her no mind. An aggressive Captain was not her primary interest. 

“Ben.” She said, a mix of pain and relief ebbing off of the one word. 

Kylo Ren clenched his jaw and tightened his grip on Hux. “General Organa.”

There was no mistaking the flash of hurt that crossed his mother’s face before she schooled her expression. This time, her voice was official and non-yielding. “We have some conditions of your surrender.”

Hux’s chest tightened at the word, and he felt the urge to panic. But he refused to let this woman spark any kind of fear in his outward expression. He remained stoic, and it was only Kylo’s comforting squeeze that notified that he felt something other than indifference. 

“We did not agree to surrender.” Kylo growled, his gaze boring into his mothers. 

She did not bat an eyelid. “It goes unsaid. You are the enemy, to be here you must surrender.”

Kylo’s growl grew louder, and Hux saw the scavenger girl take a step forward. “We are not prisoners.”

“Surrender does not always mean you are to become prisoners.” Leia said slowly. “It simply means you stop resisting to an enemy or opponent and submit to their authority.”

“Become a part of the Resistance.” Kylo spat. 

Hux could feel the anger rolling off of him in waves. In his hatred for his mother, Kylo had loosened his grip on his General, and Hux was beginning to slip. He put weight onto his injured leg, and let out an involuntary hiss he hoped no-one had noticed. 

Of course, Kylo noticed. 

His attention broke from growling at his mother, and he readjusted, taking more of his weight but jarring his shoulder. 

Hux shouted and flinched, gripping hard onto Kylo’s shoulder. Kylo said something to him, but he couldn’t focus enough to make out a definitive word. His arm felt like it was on fire. 

When the pain finally mellowed to a dull ebb, Hux opened his eyes. He hadn’t actually realised he’d screwed them shut, and he wanted the ground to open up and swallow him. His show of weakness was the focus of over a hundred people, and even General Organa was looking at him with concern. These people he’d spent most of his life trying to devise ways of exterminating were looking at him like he was a child who had scraped his knees.

Hot anger burned its way up his spine, and he straightened his back. “I’m fine.” He snarled to Kylo,

Ren ignored him, “I want that medbay that you promised.” He said to his mother.

She pursed her lips, and she wanted to make a comment about how she promised nothing, but wisely she decided against it. Waving a hand, a medunit rolled up, controlled by two droids. 

Hux practically seized up against Kylo’s side.

“Do not put me on that.” He growled to Ren, his fingers digging in just above his collarbone. 

Ren ignored the pressure on his shoulder. He spoke without feeling, his voice just has hard and final as his mother’s had been. “You can’t walk all the way Hux. Get on the unit.”

Hux looked at him then, and Ren could almost hear him screaming his thoughts. He did not want to be weak, he did not want to show he couldn’t fight, and he did not want this kind of attention from the Resistance. But he also hurt, in more ways than one. 

Ren sighed, and squeezed where his hand was resting on Hux’s waist. He leaned in towards him, soft and gentle, far from how he had just instructed Hux. “Ignore them. They don’t matter. I don’t want you in pain, Hux. Get on the damn unit.”

Hux wanted to argue, but he quite literally didn’t have a leg to stand on. 

Phasma shifted from in front of them, relaxing her defence. She turned her back on General Organa and faced General Hux. “I’ll escort you, sir.”

There had been no agreement from Leia about where each of them were going to go, but Ren realised she had no intention of letting him follow Hux to the medcentre. She’d want to talk. But by sending Phasma with Hux he’d be less agitated about it and more able to think of a strategy. 

Ren nodded, and helped Hux get to the unit. 

The unit was built for someone to lay down on it, but Ren knew better than to try and get Hux to do more than sit on the thing. Hux eyed it with disgust, and hesitated, pressing himself tighter against Ren. 

Ren bent and picked Hux up, ‘accidently’ ending up with his nose just brushing against Hux’s ear. As he placed him gently on the unit, he muttered a few words to his General, “It’ll be fine. I’ll come and see you as soon as I can.”

He started to straighten up and away from Hux, when he found his hand caught and he was pulled back. Hux glared up at him, quite a menacing look now his swelling had gone down a bit and with one eyebrow sliced open. “If you don’t I’ll kill you.”

Ren smiled, and he nodded. “Understood, General.”

He turned to Phasma as the droids began to guide the unit towards wherever the medcentre was. “If they hurt him, destroy them.”

Phasma nodded. “Of course.” And with that, she marched off after the General, leaving Ren and the five troopers to deal with Leia and her Resistance. 

It was going to be a long day. 

-

Leia watched on as her son conversed with the man who had destroyed entire planets. She’d known who he was as soon as he’d come into sight off the shuttle Ren had brought him on. General Hux wasn’t a man she’d known by sight, only by name, but the intense feeling of destruction that clung to him was all that she’d needed to identify him. 

Of course that complicated things. 

She couldn’t have the man who’d killed billions in her base. When people found out it was General Hux they were offering safety too there would be outrage. But, she wondered who would have the worst reaction. If she allowed him to stay alive and well there would be riots with her people but if she decided to send him to trial… she had no idea what kind of damage her son could do. 

There was no doubt he would tear the planet apart piece by piece. She wasn’t fooled by glares and hisses. Her son loved this man and that was a dangerous thing to play with. 

Rey came up beside her as they waited for the droids to cart off Hux. She wasn’t surprised when the blonde woman stalked off after him. Ren wouldn’t allow someone he cared about to be totally at the mercy of his mother. 

The thought sent a stab of pain through her chest, and Rey touched her shoulder with hers. “You okay?” The girl whispered. 

Leia nodded once. “Yeah. It’s just Ren.”

Rey nodded. “Yeah he seems to have that kind of effect on people.”

Finn was just behind her, his gaze flicking between Hux, Ren, and the five troopers. “Do you know who these people are?”

Rey shook her head when Leia nodded. 

Finn looked at her with a mixture of disbelief and relief. “That’s General Hux.” He nodded to the injured man Ren was lifting onto the unit. 

Recognition flashed across Rey’s face. “The Hosnian system.”

“That’s a true monster.” Poe said, on Leia’s other side. 

Finn nodded his agreement. “The woman following him is Captain Phasma. She’s a piece of work too. I was in her division.”

“Who are they?” Leia tilted her head towards the five troopers. They all stood in formation and to attention, one woman with a scarred face taking the lead. They held blasters, but they did not have any uniform on. That struck her as odd. 

Finn studied them for a moment. “The scarred lady is DN-893, tall dude is TM-6654, blonde woman is MR-555, guy with weird eyebrows is FR-2146, and the black woman is CV-267. She’s a super good shot CV.”

Leia hummed. “Anything significant about them?”

“Other than weird eyebrows.” Rey said with a smirk. 

Finn smiled for a second before gazing back at the five. “Not really. DN-893 isn’t usually paired with the lower ranking soldiers on missions so that’s a little odd, but if Ren just grabbed whoever was around it would make sense. She still hangs round with the lower ranks.”

Poe shook his head. “Why aren’t they in uniform? You said they were weird about having helmets off when you’re working right?”

Finn nodded. “Yeah that’s really weird. Helmets off is one thing, not even having armour? That’s unheard of. Especially for Phasma. I think I can count on one hand the times I’ve seen her without her helmet.”

Ren started back towards them when Hux and Phasma had disappeared from sight. Rey crossed her arms and glared at him as he came to a stop just in front of his troopers. 

He watched as Finn shuffled uneasily on his feet, and Poe shot daggers from his eyes. 

“FN-2187.” He said, knowing it would rile all three of Leia’s companions. 

Rey was the quickest to react, which didn’t surprise him. She was strong with the force. She just needed a teacher. “His name is Finn.”

Ren hummed. “So I’ve heard. You forgave him of his crimes and took him in. Touching, really.”

Poe growled, and Leia held out a hand that stopped his unconscious move forward. “There is no need for aggression or taunting.” She gave Ren a pointed look. He barely flinched. She remembered a time when a younger face would have done anything to correct that look. 

“When you are finished reminiscing a dead boy,” Ren snarled, “Would you mind telling me the exact terms of this surrender.” He spat the word, and his fists were clenched into tight balls. 

Leia sensed they were getting on thin ice, and she pushed Ben from her thoughts. “Of course, Lord Ren. Follow us.”

She turned and began to walk away. It didn’t go unnoticed that Rey, Finn and Poe did not follow. 

They waited, allowing Ren to stride past them and his troopers march by in perfect unison before they joined, walking at the back of the group. 

The runway began to trickle clear again, Resistance members going back to whatever it was they were supposed to be doing, muttering and discussing the arrival of a highly dangerous enemy. 

Said dangerous enemy was escorted to a large and damp conference room. Roots were hanging from the ceiling, and the metal framework had been integrated into the rock and earth of the planet. It was impressive craftsmanship; Ren couldn’t deny that as they filed into the room. The troopers came to a halt behind Ren, their gazes never leaving the back of his head. The room held a large table with multiple chairs, and he motioned for them to relax and take their seats. 

They did, though their weapons never left their hands. 

Leia was stood at the head of the table, Finn, Rey, and Poe coming up to flank her. It was tense; there was a thickness in the air that would not be calmed until they had spoken properly. She sat, and the other three followed her lead. Ren remained standing. 

“May I see a map of this base?” He asked, knowing what his answer would be but asking anyway.

Leia arched an eyebrow. “I don’t think that would be a wise course of action for me.”

Ren’s jaw clenched, and he rolled one shoulder. “Probably not.”

“Why did you want to see it?” Leia asked, though she too had an idea of her answer.

Ren glanced at his troopers, and caught Dany’s eye. She watched him carefully; more aware of what would be happening in this room than the other four. He kept that in mind. “I wanted to know where the medcentre was situated.”

Leia hummed. “We’ll take you there in due time.”

He nodded once. 

“What happened to make you come here?” The question didn’t come from his mother, but from the scavenger girl. She was looking at him with both awe and anger. 

He didn’t understand why he was looking at him like that, and before he thought about it he’d reached out, probing at her mind. 

He was promptly shut out, just as he had been when they had met on Takodana. 

“Don’t do that.” She said her voice surprisingly devoid of emotion. 

Finn frowned. “Do what? What did he do?”

Leia sighed, shaking her head at her son. He had always favoured stealing thoughts from people’s minds rather than simply asking. “He tried to read her mind.”

Poe flinched, and Ren shot him a cruel smile. 

“Answer the question.” Rey gazed at him, seeming to be genuinely interested in what he answered. 

Ren didn’t know what to take from that, so he ignored it. “General Hux and Captain Phasma were captured on a ground mission. We were looking for a second planet to make an improved Starkiller base.” He could feel his anger rising as he began to think about how he had found Hux. About what had been done to him. He began to pace, short and quick lengths along the table opposite his troopers. “Phasma was being kept for ransom. Hux… Hux was…” He paused, his nails digging into his palms with how hard he was fighting the anger that was brewing. 

Leia understood what he was trying to say. “A General is worth more after they’ve talked. Get information from them; sell that to one side, then sell the traitor to the highest bidder. Whoever wants to kill them most.”

Finn nodded gravely. “The First Order doesn’t take well to traitors.”

Ren continued, pretending that his throat hadn’t gone tight. “They tortured him. I could hear him from across planets. Snoke wouldn’t let me go after them. He said they were replaceable. I went anyway.”

A new voice spoke up then, surprising everyone in the room except Ren. “Snoke is wrong. You can’t replace a General like General Hux. Or Captain Phasma.” Dany said, and the other four troopers nodded their agreement. 

Tim saw what she was doing, and he spoke up too. If this back up escape plan was going to work they had to appear more as people and not soldiers. “Yeah, there’s no-one that could compare to General Hux. No matter what that old hologram says.”

The troopers laughed to themselves, and Ren growled. “I took these five with me to rescue them.”

Finn seemed to perk up at that. “Doesn’t that mean you’ve renounced the First Order?”

Ova, the trooper Finn had said was a good shot, shrugged and smiled at him. “Guess we’re following in your footsteps FN.”

“It’s Finn.” He said. 

Ova nodded. “Ah yeah.” She looked at Ren with apparent nervousness. “Actually sir, we, er, we decided to give ourselves new names too.”

Ren played along, frowning. “When?”

Ova shrugged. “On the shuttle when you were with the General.”

Ren cast his gaze over the five of them, feeling his mother’s eyes on him. “To what?”

“I decided on Dany.” Dany said. 

The man with the weird eyebrows spoke up next. “Alathar.”

“I went with Tim.”

“Ova.”

“Elm.”

Ren considered them all for a moment, and pretended he wasn’t hyper aware of his mother’s judging gaze. “Well. So long as you keep fighting for General Hux I don’t care what your names are.”

Dany beamed at that. “We were hoping that would be your reaction.”

“We’ll follow you and the General, sir. Doesn’t matter where.” Alathar said, nodding his head. 

Leia kept her expression blank, but she wasn’t sure she bought this. It sounded legit, but at the moment she had no proof of anything, and she was very much aware of how Ren was just as deceptive to her as he was transparent. This declaration felt a little too planned, but by the sudden conversation that had sparked up between the troopers and Finn, Poe and Rey, she might be the only one having doubts. Blasters were set on tables, and the tension that had been in the room dropped as they conversed among themselves. It was only herself and Ren that were not talking; Ren was lurking at the edge of the room while Dany and Finn compared their experiences with the Order.

She was yet to give her terms to him, and he was very aware of that, and very conscious of the fact that he was not with General Hux. She had leverage, and he had to play her game. 

Leia watched him carefully, and noted that he kept looking in the direction of the medcentre. Despite her not telling him where it was, and deliberately instructing the two droids to take the long way round, Ren seemed to be able to sense where General Hux was. Another alarm bell went off inside her. If they were that connected to each other, who was to say they couldn’t be talking to one another across the Force? Leia was not trained in the art, she was merely sensitive, but Ren was a different story. If he was communicating with Hux across the base, she could easily have a problem on her hands. A very dangerous problem.


End file.
